


Welcome To Reality

by Sonnista



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, Boys Kissing, But Ryou has only a small part, Change of Location, Control, Different Versions Of A Life, Different lives, Falling In Love, Headcanon, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Loss of Control, M/M, Masturbation, Mix of Canon/Headcanon, One Shot, Parallel Realities, Partners in Crime, Partners to Lovers, Sexual Content, Sleepy Cuddles, Smut, Sort of Happy End, Switching, Thiefshipping, alternate life, mentions of guns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:20:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28246074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sonnista/pseuds/Sonnista
Summary: Waking up in parallel realities is nothing new for Malik. But Bakura's steady and recently increasing presence in these other realities is.Thiefshipping/Parallel Realities
Relationships: Thiefshipping - Relationship, Yami Bakura/Marik Ishtar
Comments: 9
Kudos: 33





	Welcome To Reality

**Author's Note:**

> I've been basically into anything to do with alternate or parallel universes for a while now, and the appeal here was that it's not about AUs in the sense of a modern world, but multiple alternate versions of a life!
> 
> The basic idea for this came to me when I read the fic "Switched Bakuras" by NintendoGal55 a few weeks ago! By the way very recommendable, check it out!
> 
> Enjoy reading! ;)

Malik had always been able to do this. Maybe it was because of his initiation, although he was almost sure that this... _ability_ wasn’t known to anyone else. It never happened on purpose either - sometimes he just woke up in a different version of his life. Always sideways, never forward or backward.

The first time it happened to him as a child, he woke up not in the tomb of the Pharaoh, but in a strange, peaceful city. Another time he woke up and had a big brother instead of a big sister. And other times he had no siblings at all and sat alone in the destroyed ruins that were once his home.

Once he had woken up in a life where he had a happy and loving family. The initiation had never taken place. His childish mind could hardly understand why he had to wake up again in his own reality when it was so much crueler.

Sometimes it's a worse life he wakes up to, and very often it's a better one. Sometimes he wakes up and hardly feels any difference, only that something is different - as if he were wearing clothes that didn't quite fit.

He often used to wish he could just stay in that other life, but he quickly came to terms with the fact that as soon as he falls asleep again, he wakes up back in his real life.

_× × ×_

Malik wakes up and knows that he is in another place again. He is still in his cabin on his boat, so this reality can only be slightly different from his own.

"Morning," someone whispers beside him, in his bed, and only then does he feel the warmth pressing against his body, and Malik's eyebrows furrow.

He looks to the side and blinks. Bakura is lying next to him.

Bakura leans his forehead against Malik's shoulder. "We still have time before we have to leave."

"I know," Malik says in what he hopes is a neutral tone, not really knowing anything. He has no idea what Bakura is talking about. Just like he doesn't know what his partner in crime is doing in his bed, but he's smarter than to let on.

So he stands up, carefully releasing the arm Bakura has wrapped around his waist - they are both naked, and Malik doesn't want to think about it any further. He gathers his clothes from the floor and goes to take a shower.

Malik wonders why, in another version of his life, he would end up in bed with Bakura, of all people. Nothing like this has ever happened to him. The whole thing seems extremely questionable to him.

After showering and getting dressed, he returns to the cabin where Bakura is already waiting for him. "Damn, you look really hot...", Bakura greets him with a big grin. He leans forward to kiss him.

Malik automatically backs away.

Bakura rolls his eyes. "We're alone, don't worry, Malik." He reaches for Malik's chin and kisses him fleetingly on his lips. "Your brother left the boat a few minutes ago.... And if we hurry, we can repeat what we did last night."

Malik says nothing, and Bakura sighs. He waits for Bakura to get into the shower before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

It's strange, almost bizarre, to have a relationship like this with his partner in crime in another life, and he feels almost as uncomfortable as the one time he woke up in Yugi's grandfather's game store.

Malik shakes his head. Apart from his relationship with Bakura, nothing else seems to have changed in this life. They still have their agreement and plan vengeance on the nameless pharaoh for their own reasons.

Somehow, he manages to get through the day without getting too close to Bakura again. In the evening, Malik returns to his cabin. He locks the door and lies down on the bed.

When he wakes up, he is back in his own life.

Normally it is easy for Malik to just shake off the memories of other lives, like a dream that's hard to remember, but actually this time he's having a hard time not thinking about it.

Bakura and him? How could that happen?

_× × ×_

Malik is not interested in affairs, or even love. It's better that way, he thinks. Because he really doesn't have much interest in either romantic or sexual relationships, and because the path he had to take so early has taken many decisions away from him.

In other lives, it seems to him, he tends to make unwise decisions anyway.

_× × ×_

A few days later it happens to him again and he wakes up in Luxor. He isn't a tomb keeper. He doesn't have any scars on his back. No duty he has to fulfill. For the first time in what feels like an eternity, he feels no pain and spends the whole day lying down in his sunny apartment.

When he wakes up the next morning, he isn't in Luxor anymore and Bakura is with him, but Malik knows immediately that this isn't his reality. He feels more pain than he ever thought possible, and although they're in the storehouse where his boat is, he can clearly hear the unmistakable sounds of a police siren.

He must have been hurt, badly hurt, because the pain in his chest almost drives him out of his mind, and every breath feels like his last.

"You're awake again," Bakura says to him, leaning forward. He has an unfamiliar look of concern on his face. Bakura gently strokes his cheek. In his other hand, he holds a gun. "You have to try to breathe calmly. I think you're safe here for now, but I have to get out in a minute. The damn cops are coming for us. I gave you some meds, maybe they'll kick in soon."

Malik visibly tries to keep his breathing steady and fervently hopes Bakura is right about the medicine.

Bakura continues to look at him worriedly before murmuring a soft, "Damn, hang in there, we'll get through this together," and gently stroking a few strands from Malik's fevered face.

It feels good, soothing, and Malik has no strength to wonder about these feelings. The pills actually kick in shortly after, numbing the pain and his consciousness, and Malik knows he's about to fall back asleep.

"Are you okay?" asks Bakura, licking his dry lips quickly.

Malik nods weakly as his eyes slowly close. Everything begins to blur.

"You can do this. You have to do it." Bakura again runs his fingers gently over Malik's cheek before leaning forward and kissing first his forehead, then the corner of his lips, with a tenderness Malik wouldn't have thought his partner in crime capable of. At least not in his real life.

Malik blinks and opens his eyes. Bakura still looks worried and tries to grin at Malik.

"Close your eyes. When you wake up, I'll be back. I promise, _baby_ ," he whispers.

"Okay," Malik chokes out with difficulty in a raspy voice and closes his eyes again.

The last thing he was aware of is Bakura kissing him on his lips.

Afterwards, when he finally wakes up in his own body again, the pain in his back, which has become normal, seems almost ridiculous.

And even weeks later, he sometimes still feels the touch of Bakura's fingers on his skin and Bakura's lips on his.

_× × ×_

Most of the time, when he wakes up somewhere else, he is still a tomb keeper. Sometimes he wakes up and he's a mechanic, sometimes he's a doctor, and sometimes he's even a simple office worker - but most of the time he's a tomb keeper, and when he's a tomb keeper he wears the scars on his back.

He doesn't quite know how to feel about it. How he should find it that in many of the lives he could have led, yet it all comes down to one thing - his initiation, his cruel father, his own suffering.

Sometimes he thinks that maybe he must have been a terrible person in a past life. That it was a joke of the gods to make him suffer. To let him see a life he could have and yet not have. There is no other way to explain why he has had so little luck in so many versions of his life.

On the other hand, in a bitter, sad, almost ironic way, it is also relieving, for it seems that he was destined to live this life, marked as the bearer of an old duty.

Obviously there was little he could have done differently to avoid having to go down this path, and somehow he feels that as something of a relief.

But the most troubling thing for him right now is that he is waking up in more and more of these other lives, with Bakura lying in bed next to him.

_× × ×_

Once he wakes up in a room he doesn't know. He is alone in bed, but the Millennium Ring is on the nightstand next to him. Bakura enters the room as Malik's tired mind realizes he is naked in bed.

"I got us breakfast," Bakura informs him, grinning. He holds a cup of tea in each hand and has a bag, probably with food, tucked under his arm.

Malik stares at him for a few seconds before slowly settling into a sitting position. His brain is awake enough by now to tell him that there's only one reason he's naked right now.

Once again.

"Thank you," he says in a low voice, and Bakura sighs.

"I thought we were past that," Bakura snorts in a much more serious voice. His grin has disappeared.

Malik raises an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"About you giving me the cold shoulder again the morning after. By now you should know that I know you better than to fall for that anymore. Stupid brat."

 _Is that so?_ thinks Malik. _The only question is, which version of me do you know so well?_

He doesn't know how to answer Bakura, so he just says nothing. Bakura seems to accept his behavior as it is, which makes Malik suspect that this self can't be too different from _his_ self, and in fact it only confuses him more - because if they're both so similar, what on earth made him sleep with his partner in crime in this life?

_× × ×_

Other times he wakes up in the dark wondering why he's no longer asleep - until he feels a hand stroking his hard cock and wet lips kissing his neck. He knows immediately that it's Bakura.

For a moment he doesn't know exactly how to handle the situation, and does nothing, just tries to keep his breathing steady and shallow, but Bakura catches on to him anyway.

"I know you're awake..." whispers Bakura against Malik's ear, the permanent smirk on his lips practically audible. Bakura turns his attention back to Malik's neck, sucking on the tanned skin.

Bakura strokes Malik's cock faster and presses his own cock against Malik's ass, making Malik feel that he's aroused and hard.

And Malik - Malik moans softly and enjoys the feeling. His heartbeat speeds up, his breath hitched, his face feels like it's on fire. Even though he can't explain it at this moment, he wants this attention from Bakura.

Only when Malik feels that he is about to climax does he realize what is actually happening. And that he is going too far. He clutches Bakura's wrist and pushes his hand away from his cock.

Bakura doesn't seem to mind, because instead he puts his hand on Malik's hip, pushes his hard cock closer to Malik's ass and makes a sound that would probably be called giggling on another person.

"Are you still tired?" he asks. "You can go back to sleep if you want. But I thought maybe you'd like to say goodbye to me before I have to go on my way."

Malik has no idea where Bakura is going in the middle of the night - or is it early morning? - but he is indeed too tired, and also too grateful for this welcome escape, to think any further about it. His cock is still throbbing.

"Too tired," he mumbles softly as a result, and Bakura sighs, straightening up a bit and leaning over him.

"All right," Bakura says, kissing Malik on his lips. "But when I come back, I want at least a proper greeting."

And then Bakura kisses him again, more passionately, running his tongue over Malik's slightly parted lips, and Malik is sure he really wants to tell him not to, but he can't, and instead it feels like he's kissing Bakura back, and - it feels as strange as it feels right.

"Okay," Malik mumbles while Bakura leans back. He slaps Malik on his ass and Malik can see Bakura's smirk even in the darkness. His partner in crime gets up, gathers his things, and leaves the room.

Malik stares at the ceiling while his cock is still throbbing. He tries hard not to think about the feeling of Bakura's hand on his hard cock. Of Bakura's hard cock so close to his ass. Of Bakura's lips on his own.

But he fails. The first time he doesn't care he gives up control and gives in to his desire. He knows he's already lost when his own hand reaches under the blanket and he starts stroking his own cock.

Faster and faster as he imagines it's Bakura stroking him and touching him and-

He climaxes in several bursts in his hand before the thought even ends.

Still enveloped in darkness, Malik lies there thinking of his partner in crime. After an hour, he falls asleep.

_× × ×_

When Malik wakes up, he's in an unfamiliar room. Bakura isn't to be found in bed this time. It's almost a welcome change, until he realizes that Bakura is nowhere to be found.

Instead, there's a knock on the door, and when Malik opens it, he's met by Ryou smiling at him.

"Did you just wake up sleepyhead?" chuckles Ryou.

"What?" he asks, confused.

Ryou frowns. "Have you forgotten? We have to go to Yugi. We have a new campaign prepared!"

"Oh, yeah! Give me 10 minutes!" Malik laughed fakely, even though he had no idea what Ryou was talking about.

Later he asks Ryou, who also seems to be obsessed with creampuffs in this life and knows a bunch of people, if he's ever heard of a ring spirit named Bakura.

Ryou shakes his head and laughs in amusement. "No."

"Are you sure about that?" asks Malik. "What about the Millennium Ring?"

"I'm quite sure I've never heard of a spirit being named like me," Ryou says with a laugh. "And I have no idea what a Millennium Ring is supposed to be."

Ryou turns away from him again and continues walking, laughing, and Malik does the same.

Malik never finds out what happened to Bakura in this life, and it triggers a strange feeling in him.

_× × ×_

When he's back in his own life, he is still in Domino on his boat. Bakura is with him. Malik sits down next to Bakura at the table instead of across from him.

They're silent for a while until Bakura says, "Are you in one of your whims again, tomb keeper?"

Malik frowns and looks at Bakura with narrowed eyes. "Whims?"

Bakura raises an eyebrow. "What's wrong with you? Some days I can describe you as almost open-minded towards me, until the next day you're acting like you couldn't care less about your own vengeance on the Pharaoh."

He turns to face Malik as well and gives him a dark smirk. "It almost seems like you enjoy these games as much as I do, although I prefer to play with the opponent."

"...Perhaps," Malik says quietly, averting his gaze from Bakura. His partner in crime laughs without humor, but turns away from Malik as well, and then it's quiet between them again.

Malik is uncomfortable with the knowledge that these alternate versions of himself that are here in his place sometimes behave differently toward Bakura, but then again, he probably does the same thing in their lives. He's also uncomfortable with the knowledge that Bakura notices this change, even if he can't know what exactly is behind it; at the same time, he's surprised at how calmly Bakura takes it all in, not questioning Malik's behavior any further.

Malik thinks about Ryou, about the life in which Bakura doesn't exist, and about the Bakura who is currently, still sitting next to him, and comes to the conclusion that although Bakura is extremely impulsive and incredibly stubborn, all in all he is glad to have Bakura.

_× × ×_

Malik wakes up once again in an unfamiliar room, but Bakura is lying next to him, once again naked, and still asleep. He gets up, puts on a tank top and shorts, and walks into the kitchen.

He has no idea whose apartment he's in - but judging by the view out the window, he was back in Egypt. With a quiet sigh, he makes himself a cup of tea and sits down at the kitchen table.

When Malik is on his second cup, Bakura joins him, wearing only his boxers, yawning and with a sleepy expression on his face. He grins at Malik, but his grin fades a bit as he looks Malik in the eyes. Bakura lets his gaze slide over Malik's hands, then tilts his head. "Where exactly are you from?"

"...What?"

"You're not my Malik, so I assume he's visiting your life and you're visiting his."

 _My Malik?_ Malik opens his mouth to say something, but he doesn't know what. He's never told anyone about this... thing. He blinks at Bakura and tries again.

"How do you know?"

"Body language, I guess," Bakura replies. "And you're not wearing your ring. You took it off last night because you were covered in dirt, from the digs, and normally you'd be wearing it again by now at the latest."

His ring? Malik's confusion must be reflected in his face, because Bakura sighs and reaches behind Malik for something on the kitchen sideboard, trying very hard not to touch Malik in the process, and then places a small object on the table in front of him.

It is a slim, gold ring.

Glancing at Bakura's hand, Malik notices that Bakura is wearing the exact same one on his left ring finger.

Malik carefully takes the ring in his hand. "Are we..."

_...married?_

Bakura nods. "Aren't we, where you come from?"

Malik stares at Bakura. He slowly slides the ring over his own ring finger. It fits perfectly. It should feel foreign and strange but it doesn't. Malik doesn't know what it is, but for some reason it feels like the ring belongs on his finger.

He shakes his head. "No. We're not even together."

Of all the strange things that have already occurred this morning, it is this statement that seems to surprise Bakura the most.

Bakura tells him that they met during Malik's exchange year in Domino. They fell in love with each other. And when Malik had to go back to Egypt, Bakura decided to go with him so they could stay together.

During the day, Malik finds out that neither of them are criminals in this life and he isn't a tomb keeper. There has never been an initiation and by all appearances everything else is fine. Just as Bakura isn't a ring spirit.

The thought leaves a particularly oppressive feeling, because despite the still strange circumstance of being married to Bakura, he has a good life. He recently graduated and is now an archaeologist.

Malik doesn't recognize himself or Bakura, and for the first time he wonders how different his life could have been if he hadn't been hit by so many blows of fate.

When his parents drop by for a quick visit in the evening - his father, who never carved the memories of the nameless pharaoh into Malik's back with a knife, and his mother, who survived Malik's birth and loves him more than anything - Malik wishes for the first time since childhood that he didn't have to return to his own reality.

Only with great effort can Malik hold back his tears at this moment.

But this day also comes to an end, and as night falls, Malik feels a strange emptiness inside him.

"I can sleep somewhere else," Malik offers Bakura.

"No need," Bakura replies curtly. "The bed is big enough."

It is. They can both lie in it without touching, with enough distance between them that Malik should fall asleep reassured, but that emptiness inside him keeps him from doing so. Instead, he listens again for Bakura's regular breathing.

At some point Bakura turns to him, wraps an arm around Malik's waist and leans his forehead against Malik's chest. Malik slowly puts his arm around Bakura and hesitantly strokes his back.

Bakura makes a sleepy but satisfied sound. "You're back Mal," he sighs.

Malik doesn't answer.

"This one was really weird," Bakura murmurs. "I can't imagine a life where we're not together."

Malik's heart stops for a beat.

He hums a silent agreement and continues to stroke Bakura's warm skin, falling asleep shortly after.

_× × ×_

This version of his life haunts him, won't let him go, and he finds himself staring more and more closely at Bakura, looking for clues as to whether this other Bakura was right.

Malik can't say for sure, because just a while ago he would have been able to say with full conviction that his partner in crime definitely has no feelings of attraction for him - at least none of the romantic sort.

Still, Malik isn't sure if they really exist, or if he's just seeing what he wants - no, that he's seeing something he thinks should be there.

Just as Malik finds himself making these detailed observations, Bakura notices them more and more. And again, Malik isn't sure if this really bothers him.

_× × ×_

Even days later, Malik can't stop thinking about it. At this moment, there are an indefinite number of parallel realities in which Bakura and he are a couple. In some cases, even married.

In the middle of the night, Malik wakes up, alone in his bed. He knows that he is in his own reality. And at the same instant, he makes his decision. He leaves his cabin and enters another one at the end of the corridor that he has left to Bakura for the time of their collaboration.

Malik puts a hand on Bakura's shoulder and rudely shakes him awake. Bakura winces for a second, snaps his eyes open and stares at him. A confused yet angry expression forms on his face as he sits up. He's only wearing a pair of boxers.

"What the hell are you doing, tomb keeper?"

Malik kneels over Bakura without answering. His hands tremble and his heart races, and he sees the suspicious expression that now settles over Bakura's features. He remembers another Bakura, another life, and-

"I asked you what-"

Malik closes his eyes and kisses Bakura.

Bakura makes a muffled sound. For a second he seems frozen, before opening his lips and kissing Malik back.

Other versions of Bakura have kissed Malik several times, sometimes briefly, sometimes passionately, sometimes teasingly, but none of these Bakuras have kissed him like this one, desiring and demanding and desperate.

They dip their tongues into each other's mouths. Bakura grabs Malik by the hips and pulls him onto his lap, while Malik wraps his arms around Bakura's neck.

Malik gasps into the kiss when he suddenly finds himself lying on his back, Bakura on top of him. After a few seconds, they release the kiss and Bakura bends down next to his face.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" whispers Bakura in his ear, sending an unintentional shiver down Malik's spine. 

Malik swallows, already feeling his cock throbbing impatiently between his legs before he nods. "Yes, I do."

Then everything happened very quickly. The few clothes they wear end up on the floor and at some point, the covers and pillows.

In this night they gave each other such pleasure as Malik has never known before and never thought it possible to ever feel.

Malik thrusts deep into Bakura from behind, then Malik rides him, and in the end, Malik finds himself on his back with his legs over Bakura's shoulders while Bakura pounds into him with vigorous thrusts.

And Malik feels like he's never had anyone this close to him before.

Malik moans and arches his back as Bakura reaches between their sweaty and heated bodies with one hand and begins stroking Malik's throbbing cock. It doesn't take much more; Malik is already on the edge.

" _Nggh... f-fuck... cum for... ahh... oh yes... me... M-Malik...!_ "

With a hoarse cry close to ecstasy, they both climaxes nearly at the same time.

Heavy breathing, they stay next to each other motionless for a few minutes, both with the knowledge of what they had just done with each other.

Malik opens his eyes and squints at Bakura, who is lying close to him and staring at the ceiling. His white hair is a mess and his pale skin is slightly red in a few spots. Even though his body protests, Malik leans forward and kisses Bakura on his lips, while Bakura places a hand on the back of Malik's head.

Malik is the first to release the kiss, taking a deep breath. He rests his forehead against Bakura's.

"Is this another one of your power games, tomb keeper?", Bakura breaks the silence between them after a few seconds.

"No," Malik whispers against Bakura's lips.

Bakura hums softly. "I've gotten out of the habit of questioning your actions too much, but this is a little unexpected."

Malik can feel Bakura smirking, and a shiver chases down his spine.

 _Is it really unexpected?_ he asks himself.

He doesn't know, if this feeling he undoubtedly has, is _love_. And as for Bakura's feelings, he can say even less, but he knows that Bakura loves him in at least some of his lives.

But really, it doesn't matter anymore, because this is _his_ life, _his_ reality, and _his_ Bakura, and whatever is between them - Malik finally feels ready to face it.

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't go into Bakura's inevitable "death" (...or maybe not so inevitable after all, think of all the universes, all the possibilities!), simply because they and we deserve a damn Thiefshipping happy ending! 
> 
> Anyway! I hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
